1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to support pads useful on weight lifter's benches to prevent compression and abnormal curvature of the spine during weight lifting. The present invention is particularly directed towards attachable padding shaped to provide support for the cervical and lumbar spinal areas of the weight lifter during weight lifting exercise.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In the course of lifting weights from a reclining position, the lifter tends to straighten his or her neck and lumbar area of the spine due to the force of the weights. The normal human spinal column is maintained roughly in a double S-curve which functions like a coil or spring to decrease and distribute forces through the spine. Long term weight lifting can alter the normal curvature of the spine and can create undue stress on supporting spinal musculature. Unequal stress of the muscles supporting the spine, as well as direct pressure applied to individual vertebrae, can create misalignment of one or more of vertebrae. There are twenty-four individual vertebrae, together with two other fused structures, which comprise the human spinal column. All of these vertebrae have bony prominences, known as spinous processes, projecting outward from the back which can be felt, and often seen, as hard knobs along the exterior of the spine. These individual vertebrae are connected and supported by various cartilages, muscles and ligaments which allow flexibility for bending and twisting of the torso. Each individual vertebra is separated by an intervertebral disc which functions as a cushion and a spacer, helping to prevent compression of the peripheral spinal nerves branching off from the spinal cord housed within the spinal column. Displacement of one or more of the individual vertebrae from its normal position, or altering the curvature of an area of the spine, can create pressure against associated spinal nerves, most often resulting in pain. Since the spinous processes of many vertebrae project prominently from the human back during various stages of weight lifting, the soft tissue covering the back over the spinous processes can easily become irritated from direct pressure exerted from the bench or pad. When too much pressure is exerted against the spinous processes the involved vertebrae can also become misaligned. Therefore, direct pressure applied against the spine and deviation from the normal spinal curvature is to be avoided during weight lifting to prevent pain and possibly injury.
Modifications have therefore been made in the past to provide weight lifting benches which include lumbar and cervical supports. The majority of these supports however, are incorporated as integral units of a specialized bench and cannot be removed or adjusted. Many of these modified benches and pads are not structured to alleviate pressure applied directly onto the spine.
Early recognition of the need to prevent a reduction of spinal curvature loss when the human body is reclined and under physical stress is seen in U.S. Pat. No. 1,904,039, dated Apr. 18, 1933, issued to E. A. Bruder. Bruder's invention is not directed towards weight lifting but concerns the prevention of unnecessary strain upon normal spinal curvature during regular, reclined exercising, such as sit-ups or leg lifts. Bruder's device does not contain structuring for preventing direct pressure on the spinous processes of the back bone, nor is it adapted for secure attachment to a stationary surface, such as a bench, to avoid displacement during exercise.
The patent issued to W. A. Pearl, U.S. Pat. No. 4,621,809, dated Nov. 11, 1986, teaches a weight lifting bench having an upper surface configured with portions anatomically contoured for supporting and restraining the reclined lifter from lateral and longitudinal shifting. The integral contoured portions of Pearl's bench are not adapted for use as releasable attachment onto a conventional weight lifting bench, nor does he attempt to protect the spinous processes of the vertebrae from direct pressure.
K. W. Oman was granted a U.S. Pat. No. 4,474,370, dated Oct. 2, 1984, for a similar device of a therapeutic weight lifter's bench having cervical and lumbar support cushions. Although the lumbar support cushion is adjustable, neither the cervical or lumbar cushions are adapted for use on other weight lifting benches. The Oman device also fails to provide structuring for preventing pressure directly on the spinous processes.
A U.S. patent was granted on a modified headrest pillow to Wilmore et al, patent number 4,710,991, dated Dec. 8, 1987. Although Wilmore's preferred embodiment teaches a headrest which is primarily designed for supporting of the head of a patient when in a prone position for receiving medical treatment of some sort, an accessory cervical pillow is also taught for supporting the neck area when the patient is in a supine position, such as when sitting in a dentist's chair. The cervical pillow however, is filled with a gelatinous substance which allows the surface of the pillow to be molded into conforming to the shape of the user's neck. Although Wilmore's pillow may provide comfortable support, it is not structured to maintain the cervical vertebrae within a given curvature when under moderate or high compression. Wilmore's pillow therefore appears to be too easily deformed and therefore incapable of providing sufficient structural support in such circumstances as weight lifting. The pillow, although removably affixed, is not adapted for use with existing weight lifting benches without modification of the bench itself, specifically adhesion of a mating hook and loop fastener. If it were concluded Wilmore's pillow were rigid enough to provide sufficient curvature support for the cervical vertebrae, then excess pressure would then be exerted on the spinous processes of the vertebrae, since there are no structures, other than the current high deformity of the pillow itself, for protecting the spinous processes from excess pressure.
B. H. Richardson was granted U.S. Pat. No. 4,230,099, dated Oct. 28, 1980, for a device for aligning the spine. Richardson teaches a pad which is positioned under the back of the reclining user for as a medical application or treatment. The pad contains two parallel ridges which are positioned on either side of the spine in use. This device is designed to realign misaligned vertebra and is not structured for use during exercise or weight lifting. It appears the Richardson device would be too rigid for comfortable use during weight lifting. He also has not provided structuring to allow secure attachment to a weight lifting bench.
The spinal supports shown in the foregoing devices show recognition of the need for a practical padding to protect the human back during weight lifting. However, none of the past art devices make provisions to eliminate pressure exerted directly on the spine during various sequences of weight lifting procedures. None have removable lumbar and cervical support pads adapted for removable attachment to existing conventional weight lifting benches without prior modification of their pad or the bench. The vast majority of conventional weight lifting benches currently in use today are narrow padded benches which are not structured for secure attachment of accessory articles such as padding. Since there are already many thousands of these conventional weight lifting benches now in use in private clubs and homes, it would be less costly to provide support pads which are readily releasably attachable to these existing benches. Modifications of the bench and or pad would therefore be eliminated with removable accessory padding, and the cost would be greatly reduced in purchasing the pads alone, compared to the purchase of a modified bench with integral support pads.